Two U.S. Army ground commanders in Operation Iraqi Freedom defended the combat performance of the AH-64 Apache fleet but reserved glowing praise for other systems, such as mobile command centers, blue force tracking systems and new tactical targeting systems.

Maj. Gen. Buford Blount, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, on May 15 described coordinating three battles spread across 230 kilometers (143 miles) while on the move.

It was possible, he said, because he was riding in a United Defense M4 Command and Control Vehicle, which has direct voice and data links to unit commanders and a digital map of all blue forces on the battlefield.

Army Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, 101st Infantry Division commander, lavished praise on the Army's new TOW Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS), which uses a forward-looking infrared radar (FLIR) that offers 24-power magnification up to 10,000 meters (33,000 feet).